Taking Over: Utah Millenials in the Workplace

Dave Williams working with his Writizmo software (photo by Ali Anderson)

The Millennial generation operates on a different wavelength. Though an official birth year is debateable, anyone born in the 1980s and ‘90s is a “Millennial.” The Internet, smartphones and social media have changed the way Millennials communicate as well as the way businesses operate. Millennials embrace a new approach to starting and running a business.

Aaron Zundell of North Salt Lake recently began his own law practice and feels there is a paradigm shift between new and more established lawyers.

“Millennials are not as much interested in money as they are experiences. They seem more ready to trade paychecks for fulfillment. There have always been idealists, but I’ve noticed that younger kids are more about pursuing interests rather than cash or stability,” the 33-year-old lawyer says.

He described an experience in which a well-established attorney warned him to keep clients at arm’s length. But with clients accustomed to instant communication, Zundell has adopted an approach that defies the sage Baby Boomer wisdom. Zundell communicates with his clients via text, email and Facebook. He maintains that it’s a better way to learn clients’ timelines, adding that social media helps him “take a personal interest in clients, which is what lawyering should be about.”

Dave Williams, 31, of Sandy, Utah relied on his ingrained electronic insight to use cloud technology as the core for his new business. After researching writing software for his aspiring author wife, Dave realized that no cloud-based word processing software existed, so he invented one.

A month ago he launched Writizmo, an entirely online based business, and has earned praise from users, some of whom are professional authors. Accessibility from any electronic device helps his software reach a variety of writers. With an auto-save every three seconds, users no longer have to worry about losing written work. The software also enables multiple worldwide users to collaborate on the same project. “Research shows that eighty percent of the American population wants to write a book. Part of our mission in general is to help people from every generation realize their passion,” he says.

Also in the past month, Nick Dart, 31, of Spanish Fork, Utah opened Key Land Title and says that social media has strongly influenced even an orthodox business such as his.

Key Land Title, located off Spanish Fork’s Center Street (photo courtsey of westernstatesinsurance.net)entrepren

“The big thing for us is that this business is very relationship driven. We will compete in the sense that we have a big network. My family has been in this part of Utah for generations. Secondly, we have a younger mentality with the energy to go out and hustle. Social media will be huge for us.”

“A lot of what we are doing is going back to the traditional old-school, relationship-based model, but using our online social platforms to inform our established nexus,” he says. Though their initial push has not solely relied on social media or SEO marketing, Dart maintains that Linked-In and Facebook have offered a definite return when it comes to informing his existing network of his new business.

Dart’s business is located on Center Street in Spanish Fork and will rely on building a strong rapport with established and young real estate agents, builders, developers and bankers in the area. “We understand that growing our business is contingent upon building solid connections and on the quality of our work. We recognize that it takes time and perseverance. But it’s now the time for my generation to start establishing ourselves as entrepreneurs.”

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